Improvement in portable door-fasteners



UNITED STATESv PATENT OEEICE.

E. H. JANNEY AND E. J. HAMILTON, OF FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE DOOR-FASTENERS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,305, dated June 5, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, E. H. JANNEY andfE. J. HAMILTON, of' Fairfax, in the county of Fairfax an d State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Portable Night-Loek; and we do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and eXact description ot' the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speeitication, in which- Figure lis a perspective view of our portable nightlock, on an enlarged scale, as it appears when not in use or is carried in the pocket of its owner. Fig. 2 is also a perspective view of the lock as shown in Fig. l, but viewed from its under instead of its upper side. Fig. 3 is a verrical longitudinal section of the lock as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end view of the lock a-s adjusted for being applied to a door. Fig. 5 is a perspective VView of the lock as adjusted when applied to a door, but a door is not shown. Fig. 6 is a side view of the lock as it appears just before the door is closed against `its hooked retaining portion. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of a door and jamb with the lock applied to the same.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

Our invention relates to the travelers portable night-lock which is constructed in two parts, in such manner that the part which has the retaining-hook formed on it folds or closes in between the two jaws of the part which stands across the crevice between the door and jamb, and thus the retaining-hook is concealed when the lock is carried in the pocket, and, being concealed, does not hang to the pocket nor come in contact with the fingers when the hand is thrust into the pocket; and the nature of the improvements which we have made in this character of look consists- First, in a novel construction of the hingejoint of the two parts of the lock, this construction beingsuch that the hooked part can swing on the pivot-connections, can slide on the part which stands across the crack between the door and jamb, and while this is so the pivot-connections remain in an unchanging position. Thus considerable complexity is obviated in this special character of night-lock and the end sought is attained in a very perfect manner.

It consists, secondly, in arranging the short pivots of the hinge-joint above referred to in oblique slots of a width greater than the diameter of the pivots, and, in connection with this, forming an overhanging beveled stop'on the part of the lock which stands across the door andjamb crevice, so that when the hooked part is folded or closed in between the jaws of the other part it will be forced backward and then forward in such manner that its outer end catches under the stop and is rmly retained until it is desired to use the lock on a door.

Itconsists, thirdly, in certain sustainingstops or notches in the construction of the lock, as will be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to de` scribe its construction and operation.

A represents a forked case or handle, and B a hooked bolt or hold 'ast. These two parts constitute the improved night-lock, and both of these parts may be made ot' malleable eastiron or any other suitable material.

The case A has its inner end reduced on its upper and lower sides, as at a, so as to be c011- venient for being held between the thumb and foretinger of the hand. The end bof the holdfast B is also similarly shaped for a like purpose. On the upper side of each of the tines or jaws of the case A a shoulder or way is formed by rahbeting the inner upper edges of thejaws, as shown at c c. The rabbets terminate in a beveled recess, which is overhung by a beveled stop, as at d. The solid shank of these tines or jaws is formed, as at c, with an inclined surface corresponding in form, as nearly as practicable, with the form of the bottoni of the hook of the part B, as shown. The ends of the tines or jaws of the part A are rounded into the form of nearly a semicircle, as shown at f f. There are also stop-notches s, of V form made in the under side of the tines or jaws, said notches being situated near the rounded ends f f of the tines or jaws. On the inner side of each jaw or tine, near said rounded ends, a short stub or pivot, g, is formed, either by castin g it with the jaw or by drilling a hole and inserting it in said hole.

We contemplate making the jaws o'r tines with a slight spring capacity, so that they may be spread apart at their free ends when it is desired to t together or disconnect the parts A and B. The hook h of the holdfast B is beveled on the under side, but is straight on its inner face, as shown. At the points where the holdfast connects to the tines or jaws shoul ders j k are formed on the holdfast, as shown, and in each side of the solid shank of the hook a'slot, Z, is formed. One side of each of these slots is straight and the otherbcveled,as shown. These slots are of greater width than the diameter of the pivots, so that the holdfast shall have slight back and forward play during the operations of opening and closing the nightlock, the bevel sides of the slots causing the holdfast to make these movements when an effort is made to force the holdfast into its case and under the stop, or to withdraw it from under the stop. There is sufficient space left between the concave shoulders j j and .the rounded ends of the tines or jaws to allow said movements.

To use our night-lock, it is opened in the manner represented in Fig. 6 and placed against the jamb ofthe door, as represented in same ti gure. The door is then closed against the hooked hcldfast, as shown by dotted lines in same ligure. The parts A and B now being at right angles to one another, as 'shown in Fig. 4, and the open ends of the slots in line with the short pivots, the case A is slid out ot' connection with the pivots to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 7, which position is across the crack which is between the door andA jamb. Thus the hook has a hold upon the jamb, and the case'A bears against both the door and jamb, andthe door cannot be opened untilthc hook is pulled out of the jamb or the case A forced aside from the door.

Our lock is so contrived that the shoulder la acts as a stop to prevent it entering too far into the crack when the door is closed upon the hooked portion of the lock. It is also so contrived that the stops s stay the hook portion when the door is being closed upon it. It1ike, wise is so contrived that the point of the hook stands at right angles to the tines of the case A when the door is in the act of closing upon the hook portion of the lock, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The short stationary pivots ot' the case A, in combination with the slotted swinging and sliding hooked holdfast B, substantiallT as described.

2. The combination of the oblique slots, short pivots, hooked holdfast B, and stop c1, in the construction ot' a portable night-lock, substantially as described.

3. The combination oi' the notches s and shoulder 7c in the construction of the portable night-lock, substantially as described.

Witness our hands in the 'matter of our improved travelers night-lock this 24th day of February, 1866.

E. H. JANNEY. E. J. HAMILTON.

Witnesses y R. T. CAMPBELL, EDW. ScHAFnn. 

